Hifi.com Picks Up Sony for Internet Sales

Among the ingredients needed for a successful online consumer-electronics business, having well-known, sought-after brands may be the most important. Just in time for the holiday season, Hifi.com announced last week that it has become one of a "select group" authorized to sell Sony Electronics products over the Internet. This announcement comes on the heels of Celestion and Marantz joining the mail-order retailer (see previous story).

As part of this agreement, Hifi.com says it has developed a special shopping area called "The Sony Store@Hifi.com," dedicated to Sony home audio, video, and digital imaging products. While this area does not represent the entire Sony catalog, audio items will include various CD players, receivers, turntables, and cassette decks, as well as portable stereos and MiniDisc recorders and players. Home video products will include TVs, DVD players, satellite systems, and VCRs.

Hifi.com's Michael Sullivan says that "Hifi.com's agreement with Sony is testament to our growing prominence in and commitment to the online consumer-electronics category." The company has also ended the year with an aggressive off- and online marketing strategy, developing what it describes as a "multi-million-dollar brand-building campaign" that includes national television, radio, and print advertising, combined with exposure on several websites.

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